X-like symbol for Cartesian Product (Blyth)

In summary, the author of T. S. Blyth's book on Module Theory discusses the use of a large 'times' symbol, similar to a capital X, for the Cartesian Product. However, it seems that this is not possible with the normal AMS package and the only potential solution is to use a large sansserif capital X in LaTeX, as demonstrated in the SE post. The code for this solution is provided and a comparison with the usual product symbol is shown. Ultimately, it is recommended to stick with the standard product symbol for practical use.
  • #1
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In T. S. Blyth's book on Module Theory, the author uses a large 'times' symbol (similar to a capital X) for the Cartesian Product as seen in the text below (taken from Blyth page 58)
View attachment 3458Can someone help me with the Latex code for such a symbol?Peter
 
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  • #2
Hmm, I've been reading up on this for a little bit now and it might be that this isn't possible with the normal AMS package.

There is a \bigotimes command that works with Mathjax but \bigtimes doesn't.

\(\displaystyle \bigotimes\)

Here is a SE post about this topic. Maybe someone else can find a solution. :)
 
  • #3
Jameson said:
Hmm, I've been reading up on this for a little bit now and it might be that this isn't possible with the normal AMS package.

There is a \bigotimes command that works with Mathjax but \bigtimes doesn't.

\(\displaystyle \bigotimes\)

Here is a SE post about this topic. Maybe someone else can find a solution. :)

Thanks Jameson ... yes, I experimented with \bigtimes as well ...

Pity that there appears to be no solution to this ...

Peter
 
  • #4
Using MathJax, the best I can do is \(\displaystyle \mathop{\vcenter{\huge\times}}_{i=1}^n x_i\). If you are using a complete implementation of LaTeX, I found a useful post here showing how to use a Maltese cross as a large operator symbol. I adapted that to use with a large sansserif capital X, and I found that this works very well. The code
Code:
\documentclass{article}
\begin{document}
\newcommand{\xprod}{%
  \mathop{ %
    \mathchoice{\dobigx\huge}
               {\dobigx\Large}
               {\dobigx\normalsize}
               {\dobigx\small}
    }
}
\newcommand{\dobigx}[1]{%
  \vcenter{\kern.2ex\hbox{\sffamily#1X}\kern.2ex}}
Here it is in text, with the usual product symbol for comparison: $\xprod_{i=1}^n x_i$, $\prod_{i=1}^n x_i$. In display style, it looks like
\[
\xprod_{i=1}^n x_i \qquad \prod_{i=1}^n x_i
\]
\end{document}
produced this output:

View attachment 3465

In practice, I think it is much better to stick with the usual product symbol \(\displaystyle \prod.\)
 

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  • #5
, the symbol used by Blyth for the Cartesian Product is not a standard mathematical symbol and does not have a specific name. However, it is commonly referred to as the "X-like symbol" or the "large times symbol." In Latex, you can use the command \bigtimes or \times with \mathlarger to create a similar symbol. An example code would be \mathlarger{\bigtimes}. I hope this helps.
 

Related to X-like symbol for Cartesian Product (Blyth)

1. What is the Cartesian Product symbol in mathematics?

The Cartesian Product symbol, denoted by × or ⊠, represents a mathematical operation that combines two sets to create a new set. This new set contains all possible ordered pairs of elements from the two original sets.

2. How is the Cartesian Product symbol used in set theory?

In set theory, the Cartesian Product symbol is used to represent the Cartesian Product of two sets, A and B, as A × B. This operation results in a new set containing all possible ordered pairs (a, b), where a is an element of A and b is an element of B.

3. What does the Cartesian Product symbol look like?

The Cartesian Product symbol is often represented as a cross (×) or a square (⊠), but it can also be written as a multiplication symbol (*) or a dot (·). It is important to note that the symbol used may vary depending on the context and preference of the mathematician.

4. How is the Cartesian Product symbol different from the Union and Intersection symbols?

While the Union ( ∪ ) and Intersection ( ∩ ) symbols are used to combine or find common elements in sets, the Cartesian Product symbol combines two sets to create a new set of ordered pairs. Additionally, the Union and Intersection operations involve elements from the same set, while the Cartesian Product involves elements from two different sets.

5. What are some real-world applications of the Cartesian Product symbol?

The Cartesian Product symbol is used in various fields such as computer science, statistics, and economics. In computer science, it is used to represent the cross product of vectors, which is essential in 3D graphics and physics simulations. In statistics, it is used to calculate the joint probability of two events. In economics, it is used to determine the optimal combination of two goods that a consumer can purchase within a given budget.

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